Which Mac operating system is the best is a topic of numerous debates among Apple fans.
The ability to adjust my software perimeters I find interesting and fun to do, and it is not as much of a headache with Windows 10 PRO 2019 as it was with all versions of Window - 95 thru Vista which is when I last used Windows OS'.
Since the mission of this blog is to refute myths and legends around Macs, it's time for me to provide my 2 cents about the issue on hand. While everything below is just my opinion, as a long-time Mac user and veteran software engineer, I hope my opinion worth something.
- TLDR; The best Mac OS version is the one that your Mac is eligible to upgrade to. In 2019-2020 it is macOS Catalina. In 2019-2020 it is macOS Catalina. However, users that need to run 32-bit applications on Mac should not go with Catalina because it only supports 64-bit apps.
- Mar 07, 2016.
TLDR; The best Mac OS version is the one that your Mac is eligible to upgrade to. In 2019-2020 it is macOS Catalina. However, users that need to run 32-bit applications on Mac should not go with Catalina because it only supports 64-bit apps. Also, older Macs would benefit if upgraded at least to macOS Sierra because this is the earliest operating system for which Apple still releases security updates.
Update: On WWDC 2020 Apple announced a new macOS Big Sur, which is said to have the biggest UI redesign and the biggest Safari update. New Safari will run 50% faster than Chrome and use less battery. It also has new limitations: Big Sur will require at least MacBook Pro late 2013, MacBook Air 2013, and Mac Mini 2014 or later to run. Big Sur will be released in the fall of 2020.
How to Tell Which macOS You Are Running
To find out which macOS is currently running on your Mac, follow these steps:
- Click on Apple logo in the top left corner of the menubar
- In the dropdown click on the first item: About This Mac
- The first line in the Overview tab is the name of the current OS.
What Version of OS Can My Mac Run?
Not all Macs can be upgraded to the latest OS version. For instance, old Macs powered by PowerPC CPUs cannot run OS intended for Intel-based computers. Also, some versions have hardware limitations.
For instance, Mojave cannot be installed on MacBook Pro earlier than Mid 2012 model.
Check below to know exactly what version of OS your Mac can run.
Which OS is Best for my Mac
Anytime someone asks me which OS is best for them I always suggested going with the latest. Things have changed recently, however.
Should I Upgrade to macOS Catalina?
While personally I like macOS Catalina and have it installed on my MacBook Pro, Catalina comes with serious breaking changes. If you have old 32-bit apps, they will not run in the new OS. macOS Catalina and newer can only run 64-bit apps.
If you wondering whether you should upgrade to macOS Catalina, first verify that you don't have any 32-bit apps. But first, take a back up, so you can go back in case something breaks after upgrade.
For instance, I had to remove uTorrent after upgrade. And I didn't know that uTorrent is 32-bit!
How to Know If App is 32-bit or 64-bit
To find out whether the app on your Mac is 32-bit or 64-bit follow these steps:
- Click on Apple logo in the top left corner of the Mac screen
- Click on About This Mac option
- Click on System Report button in Overview tab (first one)
- Scroll down to Software -> Applications
- Find the app and check Kind
Which macOS Should I Use
If you have an older Mac which is not eligible to upgrade with some latest software or hardware, I'd suggest upgrading at least to Sierra for the following reasons:
- Sierra is still supported by Apple, and it gets security updates
- APFS file system is available
- It supports Siri
- Significant security improvements
The most important point when choosing the best OS is the ability getting security updates. While Apple generally does not announce the OS end of life dates, it is possible to know when they stop releasing security updates from this page.
For instance, according to the page, the last security update for OS X Yosemite was released on September 12, 2017. The last update for OS X El Capitan was in July 2018, and Carnegie Mellon University confirmed that El Capitan's end of life date was August 2018.
Snow Leopard Myth
I know that some users on forums believe that the best OS version for Macs was Snow Leopard. But that is a myth. And I know how such myths get created.
Once I worked in the company, which was selling a 20-year old product. And customers were still using and didn't want to switch to new versions, because the old one was rock solid.
I then talked to the engineer who worked on the project, and he revealed that the product was a total disaster when it was first deployed. Engineers had to work on-site for almost a year in order to fix all bugs.
After five or so years of polishing the product, it becomes virtually bug-free, and nobody now remembers how bad it was when it was first rolled out. A similar thing happened Snow Leopard, and it was recognized as best mac os version after some time.
How to Update to the Latest Version
There are two ways to update to the latest OS version on Mac:
- From the Software Update section in System Preferences
- Use a download link
Using Software Update
This is by far the best option, but it only available if you have Yosemite, or later OS installed already. If you enabled automatic updates, then Mac will inform you that the next macOS is available.
Just open System Preferences, go to Software Update and click on the Upgrade Now button.
This method is also best if wondering how to check if you have the latest version of OS installed on your Mac. Only the version compatible with your hardware will appear here.
For instance, my the latest version for Mac Mini 2012 is Mojave, I can't install anything newer than that.
Using download links
For older systems or in case you need to downgrade, you have to download a standalone installer in DMG format. DMG stands for disk image, similar to ISO, just different formats.
After downloading the installer, just double click on it and follow instructions. Again, do not forget to take a backup before the upgrade.
Mac OS Comparisons: Requirements, Features, Compatibility, Download Links
Following is a high-level description of all Mac operating systems as early as Mountain Lion.
You can refer to those descriptions when deciding which operating system is best for your iMac, Mac Pro, Mac mini, or MacBook.
With each OS description, I included a list of Macs supported. However, you can use Mac OS compatibility checker for more detailed information.
macOS 10.15 Catalina
macOS v10.15 (codename Catalina) is the latest version of the operating system for Apple computers.
Release date: October 7, 2019
Hardware Requirements: RAM requirement increased from 2GB to 4GB.
Features
- Introduced Sidecar, which allows for Macs to use an iPad as an external display.
- iTunes was replaced by separate apps: Music, Podcasts, and TV.
- Find My Mac and Find My Friends have merged into one app.
Software Compatibility Issues
macOS Catalina is the first Mac operating system that does not support 32-bit applications. Only 64-bit apps are allowed to run on Catalina.
How to install
There are two ways to install Catalina: enable automatic updates in System Preferences or download by using the following link.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Catalina
- MacBook (Early 2015 or later)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or later)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or later)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac models (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac Pro (All models)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
macOS 10.14 Mojave
Release date: September 24, 2018
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 18.5GB free space on disk
Features
- The main feature of Mojave is 'Dark Mode'
- FaceTime adds group feature which allows chatting with up to 32 people
- News, Stocks, Voice Memos, and Home apps were ported from iOS to Mac.
How to install
If your Mac is eligible to update to Mojave, then the easiest way to install it is by enabling automatic updates. Downloading a standalone Mojave installer could be a little tricky.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Mojave
- MacBook (Early 2015 or later)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or later)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or later)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac Pro (All models)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013 and 2010-2012 models with upgraded GPU)
macOS 10.13 High Sierra
Release date: September 25, 2017
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 14.3GB free space on disk
Features
- APFS (Apple File System) becomes the default file system in High Sierra. It's a significant upgrade from the older HFS+ in terms of speed, size, and security
- iCloud support of Messages which allows sync messages of the account across multiple devices
- Mail app uses 35% less storage space due to optimizations
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS High Sierra
- MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
How to install
Here is a High Sierra download link.
macOS 10.12 Sierra
This is the first macOS version. Previous OS versions for Macs were called OS X (X stands for 10).
Release date: September 20, 2016
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- Siri was introduced to Macs
- Optimized storage with iCloud sync
- Auto-lock feature allows unlocking MacBook with paired Apple Watch
- APFS preview available
- Disk Utility can manage RAID sets again
- Significant security improvements
How to install
Here is a Sierra download link.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Sierra
- MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
OS X 10.11 El Capitan
Last OS X version.
Release date: September 30, 2015
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- System Integrity Protection – a security feature that protects even when the root user executes the process
- Performance improvements: open PDF files four times faster, Mail is twice faster, launching apps 40% faster
- Notes app similar to the app in iOS
Macs compatible with OS X El Capitan
same as OS Mountain Lion.
How to install
Here is El Capitan download link.
OS X 10.10 Yosemite
Release date: October 16, 2014
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Macs compatible with OS X Yosemite
Same as OS Mountain Lion.
Features
- Major user design overhaul
- Introduction of Handoff and Continuity features
- Photos app replaced iPhoto and Aperture
How to install
Here is Yosemite download link.
OS X 10.9 Mavericks
First free Mac OS. Previous OS versions vary from $19.99 to $129.
Release date: October 22, 2013
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- Compressed Memory feature automatically compresses inactive apps when approaching maximum memory capacity
- Timer coalescing is a feature that reduces CPU usage by up to 72 percent
- App Nap puts apps that are not currently visible to sleep
Macs compatible with OS X Mavericks
Same as OS Mountain Lion.
How to install
OS X Mavericks installer is not available on Apple Site. Follow instructions here to install Mavericks.
OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
Must be purchased. Fixed many bugs introduced in OS X Lion.
Release date: July 25, 2012
System Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- New apps: Notification Center, Notes, Messages, Game Center
- AirPlay mirroring allowed to mirror Mac screen to Apple TV
- Application updates automatically install from the App Store
List of Apple computers compatible with OS X Mountain Lion
- iMac (Mid-2007 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
- Xserve (Early 2009)
How to install
Mountain Lion installer is not available on Apple Site. Follow instructions here to install OS X Mountain Lion.
List of older Mac OS Versions
Following Mac OS versions are still running on older Macs, but Apple does not support them anymore, and there is no point to upgrade (or downgrade) to them:
- OS X 10.7 Lion
- OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
- Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
- Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
- Mac OS X 10.3 Panther
- Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar
- Mac OS X 10.1 Puma
- Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made on our website. If you make a purchase through links from this website, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Now that you already know about the best Bitcoin mining hardware, we're going to talk about Bitcoin mining software.
What is Bitcoin Mining Software?
Bitcoin mining hardware handles the actual Bitcoin mining process, but:
Bitcoin mining software is equally as important.
- If you are a solo miner: the mining software connects your Bitcoin miner to the blockchain.
- If you mine with a pool: the software will connect you to your mining pool.
- If you are cloud mining: you do not need mining software.
Quick Tip
Mining is not the fastest way to get bitcoins.
Buying bitcoin is the fastest way.
Read Our Buying Guide
Why Do You Need a Bitcoin Mining Operating System?
Bitcoin mining rigs and systems have come a long way since the beginning. The first Bitcoin miners made do with the tools they had at their disposal and set up various software to control the mining hardware in their rigs.
While these make-shift solutions were better than nothing, they didn't exactly work efficiently. Not only did that slow down the mining process, but it also made it difficult for newcomers to join in on the fun.
Necessity is the mother of all invention, so along came solutions like Awesome Miner, ethOS, and SimpleMining that streamlined the mining process.
These days, mining operating systems are the standard.
But many users of the existing systems still experience issues with:
- Managing multiple mining devices.
- Maintaining a steady mining performance.
- Fixing spontaneous errors.
- Managing the mining system remotely.
- Maximizing the efficiency of their hardware.
Importance of Bitcoin Mining Software
The main job of the software is to deliver the mining hardware's work to the rest of the Bitcoin network and to receive the completed work from other miners on the network.
Bitcoin mining software monitors this input and output of your miner while also displaying statistics such as the speed of your miner, hashrate, fan speed and the temperature.
You may also need Bitcoin tax software in order to calculate your taxes owed.
Bitcoin Wallets
One of the most important things you will need before using any kind of Bitcoin mining software is a wallet.
Why?
This is because all Bitcoin mining software will ask you for a Bitcoin address that will be used to send your mining rewards and payouts. Once you create or download a wallet you will be able to get a Bitcoin address from your wallet.
There are many Bitcoin wallets, but these are the ones we recommend if you are just starting out:
- Ledger Nano X – Secure Bitcoin hardware wallet for all platforms.
- iOS Wallets – The most popular Bitcoin wallets for iOS.
- Android Wallets – The most popular Bitcoin wallets on Android.
- Desktop Wallets – The most popular Bitcoin wallets for desktop.
Now that we understand mining software and how it helps in the mining process, and you have your Bitcoin wallet and address, let's look at different software on different operating systems.
Mining Software Overviews
Find the Right Software for You
Must be purchased. Fixed many bugs introduced in OS X Lion.
Release date: July 25, 2012
System Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- New apps: Notification Center, Notes, Messages, Game Center
- AirPlay mirroring allowed to mirror Mac screen to Apple TV
- Application updates automatically install from the App Store
List of Apple computers compatible with OS X Mountain Lion
- iMac (Mid-2007 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
- Xserve (Early 2009)
How to install
Mountain Lion installer is not available on Apple Site. Follow instructions here to install OS X Mountain Lion.
List of older Mac OS Versions
Following Mac OS versions are still running on older Macs, but Apple does not support them anymore, and there is no point to upgrade (or downgrade) to them:
- OS X 10.7 Lion
- OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
- Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
- Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
- Mac OS X 10.3 Panther
- Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar
- Mac OS X 10.1 Puma
- Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made on our website. If you make a purchase through links from this website, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Now that you already know about the best Bitcoin mining hardware, we're going to talk about Bitcoin mining software.
What is Bitcoin Mining Software?
Bitcoin mining hardware handles the actual Bitcoin mining process, but:
Bitcoin mining software is equally as important.
- If you are a solo miner: the mining software connects your Bitcoin miner to the blockchain.
- If you mine with a pool: the software will connect you to your mining pool.
- If you are cloud mining: you do not need mining software.
Quick Tip
Mining is not the fastest way to get bitcoins.
Buying bitcoin is the fastest way.
Read Our Buying Guide
Why Do You Need a Bitcoin Mining Operating System?
Bitcoin mining rigs and systems have come a long way since the beginning. The first Bitcoin miners made do with the tools they had at their disposal and set up various software to control the mining hardware in their rigs.
While these make-shift solutions were better than nothing, they didn't exactly work efficiently. Not only did that slow down the mining process, but it also made it difficult for newcomers to join in on the fun.
Necessity is the mother of all invention, so along came solutions like Awesome Miner, ethOS, and SimpleMining that streamlined the mining process.
These days, mining operating systems are the standard.
But many users of the existing systems still experience issues with:
- Managing multiple mining devices.
- Maintaining a steady mining performance.
- Fixing spontaneous errors.
- Managing the mining system remotely.
- Maximizing the efficiency of their hardware.
Importance of Bitcoin Mining Software
The main job of the software is to deliver the mining hardware's work to the rest of the Bitcoin network and to receive the completed work from other miners on the network.
Bitcoin mining software monitors this input and output of your miner while also displaying statistics such as the speed of your miner, hashrate, fan speed and the temperature.
You may also need Bitcoin tax software in order to calculate your taxes owed.
Bitcoin Wallets
One of the most important things you will need before using any kind of Bitcoin mining software is a wallet.
Why?
This is because all Bitcoin mining software will ask you for a Bitcoin address that will be used to send your mining rewards and payouts. Once you create or download a wallet you will be able to get a Bitcoin address from your wallet.
There are many Bitcoin wallets, but these are the ones we recommend if you are just starting out:
- Ledger Nano X – Secure Bitcoin hardware wallet for all platforms.
- iOS Wallets – The most popular Bitcoin wallets for iOS.
- Android Wallets – The most popular Bitcoin wallets on Android.
- Desktop Wallets – The most popular Bitcoin wallets for desktop.
Now that we understand mining software and how it helps in the mining process, and you have your Bitcoin wallet and address, let's look at different software on different operating systems.
Mining Software Overviews
Find the Right Software for You
So which software should you choose?
Let's go over all the most important info for each mining software.
By the end, you should be able to pick the best one for you.
Best Mining Software For Windows
Braiins OS is part of Satoshi Labs and is the creation of the original inventor of mining pools, Marek 'Slush' Palatinus. You may also know Marek for his invention of the Trezor, the world's first hardware wallet.
Unlike many other mining software and operating systems, Braiins is completely free. Satoshi Labs makes money off of Braiins OS by offering you incentives to join their Slush mining pool, although this is not required to use their software.
Supported Hardware
Braains OS+ currently supports Antminer S9, S9i and S9j. Support for Antminer S17 and T17 are coming soon. Thankfully, Braiins OS+ makes the S9 family so much more efficient, that it can extend the life of your S9 ASICs. It achieves this life increase through better minign efficiency, which we will cover next.
Performance
With Braiins OS, you can increase the hashrate of your S9 up to 17+ Terrahashes per second.
Braiins OS+ can also take an S9 on low power mode and deliver 20% better performance than even an S9i.
For aging hardware like the S9 family, this is a crazy performance boost, so we can't wait to see what Braiin's will be able to do once they launch support for next gen Antminers like the S17 and T17.
Cost
While there is no up front cost to buying the software, you will need to pay Slushpool dev fees by directing 2% of your hashing power to their pool regardless of which pool you end up mining on. However, if you choose to mine with slushpool for all 100% of your hashing power, that rate drops to 1%.
This is how Satoshi Labs makes money off of Braiins OS.
Features
Braiins OS boasts many features, such as:
- Unlocked SSH
- Autkmatic Updates to the OS firmware
- Device installation on all your devices at once
- Super Fast boot up speeds
- Pre-heating to get mining faster
- Complete fan control
Command Line
For the more traditional, tech-savvy users, Braiins offers a simple but robust command line interface for their mining software in addition to the more common graphical user interface that most people are used to. Both have their advantages, but many are more comfortable issuing commands with a keyboard instead of mouse clicks.
Two-Factor Authentication
According to Slushpool,
Every important change made to a user account requires email verification. We furthermore recommend enabling two-factor authentication using either TOTP mobile app or a hardware token (U2F). For even better protection, there is a possibility to lock your payout address so it can be only changed in future by a signed message from said address.
Slushpool takes the security of your earnings very seriously, which means a robust set of two-factor authentication options are at your disposal.
Technical Support
Braiin's OS comes with some of the best documentation of all the mining software. If that doesn't answer you questions you can reach out to Braiins for help or join their telegram.
Implementation of Stratum V2
Braiins OS+ has also implemented its Stratum V2 communication protocol. This protocol offers truly advanced features for power miners such as bandwidth load reductions, hash rate variance control, and hash rate hijacking protection.
It also comes with a nifty Proxy so that you can still use Stratum on other pools even if it isn't supported by them.
Should You Use Braiins OS?
There is no one more experienced in mining software than Satoshi Labs, so you really can't go wrong. These guys are constantly innovating, so even if you are running Linux, you won't be disappointed in choosing Braiins.
That being said, if you don't plan on mining with Slushpool, be aware that you will essentially pay a 2% fee to Slushpool (in the form of redirecting 2% of your hashing power to them). By mining with Slushpool, that cuts in half and becomes very attractive.
For more info on mining pools and how to pick one, see our compplete guide on mining pools.
Best Mining Software for Linux
Every system has its flaws, and the best solutions to how to fix those flaws often come from the users of the system. Enter Hashr8, a Bitcoin mining operating system developed by miners for miners.
Best Os X Software
As you'd expect, Hashr8 has fixed many of the flaws we covered in the introduction. But the developers have also added some additional bells and whistles to their OS.
What Hashr8 Can Do Now
To combat the inefficiencies of other mining systems, Hashr8 constantly monitors the performance of your rig and automatically restarts it when there's an error. It also comes with a handy mobile app that notifies you of any changes and allows you to control your mining system remotely when you're on the go.
What Hashr8 Can Do Soon
On the horizon, the team behind Hashr8 plan to add automated mining based on which cryptocurrencies are currently the most profitable to mine. Users will also be able to optimize the settings of their rig, adjust their power consumption, manage an entire mining farm from the app, and download performance reports for each individual mining rig.
In other words, there's a lot to be excited about!
What Are the Benefits of Hashr8?
Now that you have a basic overview of Hashr8, it's time to look at some of the specific benefits of using this mining operating system over the alternatives on the market.
Remote Management
The app (which is available for both iOS and Android devices) that comes with Hashr8 allows you to control multiple mining rigs from your phone.
First of all, it'll notify you the moment there's a low hash rate, or when any parts overheat or malfunction. But the app also allows you to control which cryptocurrency is being mined, which wallet you're using, and what your numbers look like. Finally, you also have the option to overclock your mining rigs.
Easy Installation
Another advancement the team behind Hashr8 has made is on the installation front.
Newbies no longer have to dread a complicated installation process. This one's plug and play. Simply go to the Hashr8 website, download the disk image, and connect it to your rig via a flash drive.
It'll automatically configure the installation based on the hardware in your rig. You also have the option to add overclocking and firmware with the configuration presets that are included.
Incredible Support
Since Bitcoin mining is such a rapidly evolving space, any service providers have to adapt their systems to serve their customers.
Hashr8 already supports over 650 different miners and mining pools, so chances are the one you're using is covered. Your mining rig itself is likely also supported, as Hashr8 is compatible with most CPUs, GPUs, and ASICS and covers mining for multiple kinds of coins.
How Much Does Hashr8 Cost?
As mentioned, you can choose between three different packages when you sign up for Hashr8.
Here are your three options:
- Home Miner is free and allows you to run three mining devices at the same time.
- Pro Miner costs $2 per month for every mining device after the first three.
- Corporate Miner gives you a dedicated account manager, additional configuration and integration options, as well as a discount when you use more than 300 mining devices.
Each option comes with 24/7 customer service and support if you need help with Hashr8.
How to Install Hashr8 in 8 Steps
Decided whether or not you want to try out Hashr8? Then it's time to look at how to install it. Fortunately, it's as easy as eight simple steps.
Here's how to install Hashr8:
- Go to the Hashr8 website and click 'Login' in the top right corner and then 'Register' to create an account.
- Log in to your new account and click 'Download' on the left-hand side of the dashboard to download the installation file.
- Transfer the installation file to a flash drive or external hard drive so you can connect it to your mining device.
- Click 'Rigs' on the Hashr8 dashboard menu and then choose 'Add Rig' to add your mining device.
- Fill in all the required details, such as name, description, password, and the number of GPUs, then click 'Save.'
- Click the name of your rig once it has been set up, then click 'System Info' and copy the information under the 'Rig Token' section.
- Open the installation file on your flash drive or external hard disk and paste the information you just copied to into the document named 'token.txt' and save.
- Plug your flash drive or external hard disk into your mining rig, turn it on, and wait until it's registered as online on your Hashr8 dashboard.
That's it, you're not ready to mine!
Quick Tip
Using mining software is not the fastest way to get bitcoins.
Try an exchange below for the fastest way to get bitcoins.
- Bits of Gold
- Crypto exchange based in Tel Aviv
- Buy with card, cash or bank transfer
- Supports Bitcoin & Ethereum
- Rain
- Exchange for Saudi Arabi, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrin, UAE
- Rain is based in Middle East
- High buying limits
- WazirX
- Crypto exchange based in India
- Deposit INR with IMPS & UPI
- Low fees and many coins
- eToro
- Start trading fast; high limits
- Easy way for newcomers to get bitcoins
- Your capital is at risk.
- Luno
- Best for Nigeria, South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia
- East to use interface
- Trusted exchange
- Coinbase
- High liquidity and buying limits
- Easy way for newcomers to get bitcoins
- 'Instant Buy' option available with debit card
- Bitbuy
- Exchange based in Canada
- Very high buy and sell limits
- Supports Interac & wire
- Coinberry
- Crypto exchange based in Canada
- Very high buy and sell limits
- Supports credit & debit card, Interac, wire
- Coinsquare
- Canada's largest cryptocurrency exchange
- Very high buy and sell limits
- Supports bank account, Interac, wire
- Independent Reserve (AU/NZ)
- Low fees with instant AUD deposits
- EFT, POLi, Osko & SWIFT
- Top cryptos, tax reports, local support & OTC desk
- eToro
- Supports Bitcoin, Ethereum & 15 other coins
- Start trading fast; high limits
- Your capital is at risk.
This ad promotes virtual cryptocurrency investing within the EU (by eToro Europe Ltd. and eToro UK Ltd.) & USA (by eToro USA LLC); which is highly volatile, unregulated in most EU countries, no EU protections & not supervised by the EU regulatory framework. Investments are subject to market risk, including the loss of principal.
Should You Use Hashr8?
Find apps apple watch. Hopefully, you've found this Hashr8 review useful and are now able to make an informed decision as to whether or not you want to use it for your mining.
Hashr8 is a new mining software company. It's mining software made by miners, for miners.
To combat the inefficiencies of other mining systems, Hashr8 constantly monitors the performance of your rig and automatically restarts it when there's an error.
It also comes with a handy mobile app that notifies you of any changes and allows you to control your mining system remotely when you're on the go.
Best Mining Software For MacOS
Hive OS is a dashboard which allows miners to monitor and control all of their ASICs and GPUs from one centralized location.
Best Mac Os X Software
Centralization is a scary word in crypto but in this case it's great. Instead of having to monitor miners with different programs, it's now possible to keep track of everything using Hive's beautiful, one-stop dashboard.
Best Os X Maintenance Software
Hive OS supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bcash, Monero and many other coins.
Whether you have three rigs or a thousand, Hive OS can easily integrate with all of them. Installation is easy as Hive OS automatically detects mining rigs and adds them to the dashboard.
HEADS UP!
Mining or buying bitcoins? You can't do either without a Bitcoin wallet.
Our guide on the best bitcoin wallets will help you pick one.
Read Our Wallets Guide
Tracking Metrics with Hive OS
As a full feature dashboard Hive OS, like Hashr8, allows miners to track a number of different metrics. That includes but is not limited to,
- Hash rate
- Online status
- GPU errors
- Pool configuration
- Electricity usage
- Team activity
What's great about Hive is that all of this information can be accessed from anywhere in the world. That means that you can manage a mining operation from anywhere, you don't have to be physically connected to the miners. You can even use Hive OS to update ASICs (all at one time, it's not necessary to update them individually) or restart a GPU if it has frozen.
Quick Tip
Mining is not the fastest way to get bitcoins.
Buying bitcoin is the fastest way.
Read Our Buying Guide
Besides updating their rigs Hive OS allows miners to do the following,
- Change which coins are being mined. Bitcoin or BCH, Ethereum or Ethereum Classic, you can switch on the go if one coin becomes more profitable than another. You can use our profitability calculator as well.
- Change miner configurations all at once, there's no need to painstakingly change individual settings.
- Change mining pools.
No matter what coins you'd like to mine Hive OS has you covered. They support more than 500 different currencies as well as 85 different mining rigs. To increase the efficiency of your miners Hive OS has firmware that can boost hash rates as well as cut down on energy usage by as much as 25%.
Pricing
Hive OS is surprisingly affordable at $2 per month per ASIC. For larger operations Hive offers discounts to any business with more than 500 miners. It's also possible to receive Hive for free if you purchase the Hive firmware upgrade for your rigs.
There are a couple of other discounts available. If you deposit three months worth of funds into your account Hive will give you a 30% bonus on your purchase. You have to make the deposit all at once but otherwise there are few restriction on what it takes to qualify. There is also an additional 3% bonus if you make the deposit using a stablecoin like USDT or TUSD.
ETH Mining Pool
For Ethereum miners Hive hosts its own mining pool which they claim is one of the most profitable anywhere. Hive mentions that due to their worldwide servers their pool is secure, efficient and also has a high payout. As of publication the expected daily earnings are $1.35 (0.00794 ETH) per 100 MH/s.
The minimum payout for the pool is 0.1 ETH and currently the pool charges no commission fee. There are three servers available. One in Russia, one in Europe and one in North America.
Quick Tip
Using mining software is not the fastest way to get bitcoins.
Try an exchange below for the fastest way to get bitcoins.
- Bits of Gold
- Crypto exchange based in Tel Aviv
- Buy with card, cash or bank transfer
- Supports Bitcoin & Ethereum
- Rain
- Exchange for Saudi Arabi, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrin, UAE
- Rain is based in Middle East
- High buying limits
- WazirX
- Crypto exchange based in India
- Deposit INR with IMPS & UPI
- Low fees and many coins
- eToro
- Start trading fast; high limits
- Easy way for newcomers to get bitcoins
- Your capital is at risk.
- Luno
- Best for Nigeria, South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia
- East to use interface
- Trusted exchange
- Coinbase
- High liquidity and buying limits
- Easy way for newcomers to get bitcoins
- 'Instant Buy' option available with debit card
- Bitbuy
- Exchange based in Canada
- Very high buy and sell limits
- Supports Interac & wire
- Coinberry
- Crypto exchange based in Canada
- Very high buy and sell limits
- Supports credit & debit card, Interac, wire
- Coinsquare
- Canada's largest cryptocurrency exchange
- Very high buy and sell limits
- Supports bank account, Interac, wire
- Independent Reserve (AU/NZ)
- Low fees with instant AUD deposits
- EFT, POLi, Osko & SWIFT
- Top cryptos, tax reports, local support & OTC desk
- eToro
- Supports Bitcoin, Ethereum & 15 other coins
- Start trading fast; high limits
- Your capital is at risk.
This ad promotes virtual cryptocurrency investing within the EU (by eToro Europe Ltd. and eToro UK Ltd.) & USA (by eToro USA LLC); which is highly volatile, unregulated in most EU countries, no EU protections & not supervised by the EU regulatory framework. Investments are subject to market risk, including the loss of principal.
The Hive OS Mobile App
One of the great things about Hive OS is that they have a mobile app that allows you to execute all of the same functions and monitor all of the same metrics as the dashboard. With some recent updates the app also appears to function well, based on user reviews.
In the Google Play store the app has 4.4 review score and although there is not yet an Apple iPhone app, Hive has indicated that they plan to release one soon.
Coin Statistics
One of the cool things about Hive OS is that even if you've not yet signed up for the service you can get an idea of who is using it. On the Hive statistics page there is a bunch of relevant data that miners may be interested in. For instance as of publication:
Apple macbook pro apple. Apple Footer. Trade‑in value based on 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro. Trade‑in values will vary based on the condition, year, and configuration of your trade‑in device. You must be at least 18 years old to be eligible to trade in for credit or for an Apple Store Gift Card.
- 54% of all Hive OS mining is for Ethereum and 9% is Bitcoin
- The Radeon RX 570 4GB is the most popular AMD miner and the P106-100 6GB is the most popular NVIDIA miner. For Bitcoin the Antminer S9 Hiveon is the most popular model
The Hive OS Advantage
If you're in the business of cryptocurrency mining Hive OS can offer a real advantage in terms of efficiency, setup speed and ease of use. The centralized dashboard is well thought out and beautiful to look at. What used to be difficult is now easy with essentially plug and play mining for Ethereum, Bitcoin and hundreds of other coins.
Whether you've already got the equipment or you're considering a new investment, Hive OS is definitely worth checking out as an all-in-one mining dashboard.
Hive OS is a dashboard which allows miners to monitor and control all of their ASICs and GPUs from one centralized location.
Viruses in Mining Software
Be aware that a lot of mining software may try to steal your bitcoins. Be sure to read reviews on any software you download.
Also:
Make sure you are downloading from the actual site and not a copy-cat site.
Using Tor with Mining Software
It's also worth noting that you can use Tor to route your traffic through to remain especially anonymous while mining.
Cash Out your Coins
Once you have this setup and are mining, you may need to cash out some of your coins in order to pay off your expenses such as electricity.
For this you can use Buy Bitcoin Worldwide to find a Bitcoin exchange in your country, whether that be the USA or elsewhere!